Pivoted token releasing target



Aug.

J. KELLINGER ET AL PIVOTED TOKEN RELEASING TARGET Filed Dec. 25, 1946Patented Aug. 1, 1950 asides? rIvo'rEn TOKEN RELEASING TARGET JohnKelling-er, Oakland, and John A. Conaty, El Cerrito, Ca1if.; said Conatyassignor to said Kellingcr Application December 2a, 1946, Serial No.717,856

.2 Claims.

This invention relates to games of skill, of the character in whichmissiles are cast or otherwise projected toward target objectives, andconstitutes an improvement over the structure shown and described in theprior application of John Kellinger, Serial No. 676,023, for GameApparatus, now abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide game apparatus of the characterdescribed in which the target element serves as a container for prizeelements or tokens successively deliverable in predetermined amountswhen the target element is propcriy struck by the missile.

Another object of the invention is to provide, ingame apparatus of theclass referred to, a target element provided with means whereby, at altimes, the amount of prize elements or tokens contained in the targetelement can be ascertained from a distance by the player.

A further object of the invention is to provide, for game apparatus, atarget element having therein a reservoir for holding a stack of tokenpieces and a discharge port through which the token pieces may bedischarged when the target is struck by a missile, the reservoir beingso arranged that a greater number of token pieces may be accommodated ina given vertical distance than if the pieces were collimately stacked,and yet obstructions to flow of the pieces from the reservoir throughthe discharge port, caused by coactive wedging of two or more piecesbetween opposed side wall portions of the reservoir, is effectivelyprevented.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. Itisto be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by thesaid drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a game in which target elementsembodying one form of the present invention are included.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, to an enlarged scale of one ofthe target elements. The plane in which the view is taken is indicatedby the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the position of thetarget element when struck by the missile to effect release of a tokenor prize piece.

Figure e is a horizontal sectional view of one of the target elementsshown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a modified form ofrelease apparatus- Figure 6 is a front elevational view, partly invertical section, of a target element modified to provide a reservoircapable of. holding a maximum number of token or prizepieces per unit ofvertical height.

In Figure 1 is illustrateda complete game apparatus comprising one ormore standards 1 adapted to be set upon a floor oruother playing surface8 and supporting, in elevated and parallel relation to the surface 8 anaxle Q or similar member from which one or more target elements,generally indicated by the numeral ll, may be suspended in suchpositions that they may be struck by a missile i2 projected through theair or along the surface 8. Each of the target elements, in itspreferred form, comprises an elongated body I3 provided with means forattachment to the axle 9 which, in this case, comprises a clip M securedby screws or nails 16, or in any other suitable manner, to a verticalsurface of the body and provided with a. leg portion ll spaced from thebody surface to form a downwardly opening hook recess [8 for receivingthe axle 9 and providing a pivot mounting about which the target elementmay pendently oscillate. One of several different means may be employedfor maintaining the target elements in relatively spaced relationshipalong the axle 9 but the method shown is preferable in which the axle isbent to form radially offset portions l9 each of which is of suflicientaxial length to receive and journal one of the target elements. By meansof the structure just described, the target elements may be attached toor detached from the axle or rearranged thereon as desired.

Figure 2 comprises a vertical sectional view through one of the targetelements taken in a plane trans-axially of the axle 9 and shows that thetarget element is provided with a longitudinally extending chamber 2|open at the top and closed at the bottom by an integral portion of thebody l3 or by means of a plug 22, as shown, which is cemented orotherwise secured in place. The chamber 2| is of suiiicientcrosssectional size to receive token or prize pieces herein shown asballs 23 which may be inserted into the chamber through the open top.thereof and which are held in :a vertical stack, thev lowermost ballresting in a slight depression 24 formed in. the. upper surface of thechamber bottom. or plug 122 and in alignment: with a discharge aperture26 formed in the side wall of the target element and facing the forwardside of the latter confronting the point from which the missile isprojected or thrown. The aperture 26 is of sufficient size to permitpassage of a token piece 23 therethrough and the depression 24 serves toretain the lowermost piece, when the target element is at rest, againstbeing forced, by the superposed weight of the remaining pieces in thestack, through the discharge aperture 26. The lowermost token piece inthe stack may be dislodged however as shown in Figure 3. When themissile [2 is forcibly projected toward and strikes a targetelement, thelatter will react to swing rearwardly about its pivot axis. However, theinertia of the lowermost token piece will cause the latter to be thrusttoward the discharge aperture 26 and, when a comparatively small degreeof radial displacement of the token piece relative to the vertical axisof the stack exists, the penultimate token piece under its own or thecombined weights of the remaining pieces in the stack will crowd behindthe displaced token piece and will forcibly eject the latter through thedischarge aperture. As soon as the token piece is ejected the remainingpieces will gravitationally descend until the now lowermost pieceengages and rests in the depression 24. This action will occur everytime that the target element is struck by the missile provided, ofcourse, that one or more token pieces are present in the chamber 2! andthe force of the blow is sumcient to cause dislodgement of the lowermosttoken piece. In order to at all times acquaint the players with thenumber of token pieces contained in the chamber 2|, spaced verticallyelongated apertures 27 are provided through which the vertical extent ofthe stack of game pieces may be readily seen. A single elongated slotmay be substituted for the series of apertures 21 but the latterconstruction is preferable since it lends structural strength to thetarget element side wall which would be impaired in the single slotconstruction.

In Figure is shown a modified form of the invention wherein the targetelement chamber 2| is provided with an open bottom forming a dischargeaperture 28 through which successive of the token pieces 23 may passfrom the chamber. Secured by rivets 29, or other suitable means, to therear side wall portion of the target element body and at a point thereonspaced upwardly from the discharge aperture 28, is a leaf spring 3ihaving an angularly bent dogging portion 32 normally underlying thelower end of the target element and extending for a substantial distanceacross the discharge aperture, a downwardly bent extension of thedogging portion 32 forming a trigger 33. When a missile i2 forciblyprojected toward the target element strikes the trigger 33, the spring3i will be flexed rearwardly as shown, due to the fact that the inertiaof the target element will not permit the latter to start swingingrearwardly until sufficient fiexure stress has been stored in the springto overcome the inertia, with the result that the dogging portion 32will be withdrawn from below the discharge apcrture 28 and one or moretoken pieces 23 may drop to the playing surface from the chamber 2!. Inexplanation of the latter statement it will be seen that the degree offlexure of the spring .ll depends upon how forcefully the latter isstruck by the missile 12 with the result that a comparativelylight blowmay not withdraw the dogging portion 32 suiiiciently to release thelowermost token piece of the stack, while a very hard blow may cause thespring to flex so severely that, before it can recoil, two or more ofthe token pieces will have dropped from the chamber. Although the targetelement of Figure 5 has been indicated as being pivotally supported, itwill operate equally as satisfactorily if held in a rigid condition. Anystructure for accomplishing this result may be employed and is notillustrated since persons skilled in the art are fully aware of theirconstruction.

When the token pieces, in the forms of the invention illustrated inFigures 2 and 5, are arranged in single file in their chambers, only alimited amount of the pieces may be accommodated in a unit verticallength of the chamber and consequently the chamber may require frequentrecharging depending on the length of time that is required to exhaustthe chamber. In Figure 6 is shown a modified form of target element 3 inwhich the chamber 36 is horizontally enlarged to hold a plurality ofvertically arranged columns of token pieces 23. The latter token piecesbear a distinct relationship to the horizontal width of the chamber 35in that, when the pieces are in the chamber and engaging the side wallsthereof the pieces of one column will lie in staggered relation to thepieces of an adjacent column and this staggering should be equivalent toone-half of the vertical dimension of the uniformly-sized token pieces.In this way, a line drawn through the centers of adjacent pieces inopposite columns will not so nearly approach rectangularity with thevertical side wall surface of the chamber that bridging and consequentjamming of two token pieces, as they descend, between opposed points onthe chamber side wall will not occur and free movement of successivetoken pieces toward the position opposite the discharge port 27 will beassured. This particular construction of the target element permits thechamber to hold considerably more token pieces than the single file typeand consequently the game may proceed over a longer period without thenecessity of interruption to recharge the chamber with token pieces.

Numerous modifications in form and construction of the game apparatuswill become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoingdisclosure and it is not intended that the invention be limited to thespecific proportions and makeup of the parts illustrated as designmodifications and material substitutions may be made without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. For instance, it is obvious that thetarget elements H may be constructed of transparent material, such asmoldable synthetic resin, so as to render visible at all times the tokenpiece contents of the chambers. This will of course obviate the need forthe sight openings 21. It is also within the scope of the invention tosubstitute for the spherical token pieces shown, others of cylindricalor circular disk form, only slight modification of the cross-sectionalshape of the chamber 21 being necessary to accommodate these forms.

We claim:

1. Game apparatus comprising a pivotally mounted target element having avertically elongated chamber therein and provided in a lower portionthereof with a horizontal opening discharge port, means forming part ofsaid target element and traversing said chamber to form an abutmentadjacent said discharge port, a plurality of token pieces arranged invertically stacked relation in said chamber, the lowermost one of thetoken pieces in said stack engaging said abutment to be positioned bythe latter in substantial alignment with said discharge port, and saidlowermost one of the token pieces being releasable to pass from thechamber through said discharge port, upon engagement of the targetelement with a forcibly projected missile to effect relative movementbetween said target element and said lowermost token piece.

2. Game apparatus comprising a target element mounted for pivotalmovement and having a vertically elongated chamber therein and providedin a lower portion thereof with a discharge port disposed normal to theaxis of said chamber, said target element further having a bottomportion provided with a depression forming a surface of said chamber andpositioned adjacent said discharge port, a plurality of token pieces 20arranged in vertically stacked relation in said chamber, the lowermostone of the token pieces in said stack resting in said depression forpositioning in substantial alignment with the discharge port, and saidlowermost one of the token pieces being releasable from said depression,to pass from said chamber through said discharge port upon the targetelement being forcibly struck by a missile to impart pivotal movement tosaid element.

JOHN KELLINGER.

JOHN A. CONATY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,136,153 Martineau Apr. 20, 19151,251,481 Cuthbert Jan. 1, 1918 1,390,789 Jacobs Sept. 13, 19211,573,645 Rogers Feb. 16, 1926 2,230,814 Roth Feb. 4, 1941

